RedEaredSlider writes: Earlier today Acer announced the Iconia A500, its first entry into the rapidly-expanding tablet market, and the company seems to be moving aggressively on the price.

Specifications for the device are almost identical to competing tablets: 10.1-inch screen, dual cameras, Android based operating system. But the $459 price tag is lower than any other tablet this far.

The post-announcement narratives for non-iPad tablets have followed similar scripts. There is the initial surprise, followed by a spec analysis and the inevitable realization that the tablet in question is significantly more expensive than Apple's iPad. That was the story for the Xoom, which debuted at $799, and almost immediately written off as dead on arrival. Samsung's first entry into the tablet market, the 7.1-inch Galaxy Tab, was $599 when it was rolled out.